Balloon for wrecking-purposes



No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. POWERS.

BALLOON FOR WREOKING PURPOSES.

Patented Sept. 11, 1883.

( No Model.) ,3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

r J. W. POWERS.

, BALLOON FOR WREGKING PURPOSES. 7 No. 284,667. Y Patented Sept. 11,1883.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3;

J; W. POWERS.

BALLOON 'FOR WREGKING PURPOSES.

Patented Sept. 11,, 1883..

I llnirnn STATES JAY W. POWERS, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

.B ALLOON FOR WRECKING 'PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,667, dated.September 11, 183.

Application filed December 22,1890. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAY W. PowERs, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSubmarine Balloons for Wrecking, and I do hereby declare that thefollowing'is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeiughad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my balloon orfloat inflated and ready for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectionof the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, enlarged central sectionsof the safety and inlet valves employed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofmy apparatus as being connectedto or with asnuken vessel, and Fig. 6 isa like view of the same with the balloons or floats inflated and thevessel lifted from the ground.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The design of my invention is to enable sunken vessels to be easily andquickly raised and to this end it consists in animprovenient inapparatus for raising sunken vessels in a collapsible balloon or float,provided within its inlet with a double-acting valve which will closeagainst a sudden increase of pressure within the air-supply tube, andagainst the egress of air from the float, substantially as and for thepurpose hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawings, A represents a float or balloon, constructed ofor from flexible material which is impervious to air, and having,preferably, a spherical form.

\Vithin the lower side of the float A is an opening, (1, within which isplaced an escape or safety valve that is constructed and applied in thefollowing manner, viz: Passing outward through the opening a is acupshaped casing, B, which is open at its outer end and closed at itsinner end, except a small opening, I), at the axial center of thelatter. A radial flange,

b, at said inner end extends over the inner face of the contiguousmaterial which composes the walls of said float. The periphery of thecasing B is threaded, and over the same is fitted an interiorly-threadedcup, 0, which, at its inner end, is provided with a radial flange, c,that extends outward over the outer face of the wall of the float A to apoint cor responding to the outer line of the flange b,

the flexible material composing said float being compressed between saidflanges, so as to produce at such point an air-tight joint.

;The outer end of said cap 0 is closed except I at its center, where isprovided-an opening, 0', which corresponds in size to the size of theopening b.

Within thcbottom of the casing B, surround- .ing the opening 0, isplaced an annular disk,

D, composed, preferably, of rubber or other elastic material, whichoperates as a seat for a valve, E, that bears thereon, and is. heldfirmly in place by means of a spiral'sp'ring. F, which extends betweenthe outer side of said valve and the end of the cup 0, the pressure ofsaid spring being suflicient to hold said valve closed against theair-pressure, which it is intended shall be applied to said float.

I At the upper end of the float A is provided an air-supply pipe, G, andinterposed between which parts is an air-regulating valve constructed asfollows, viz: A casing, H, formed in two parts, which are threadedexteriorly "and secured together by means of an interior-lythreadedring, I, that fits upon each at their junction, is provided at each endwith a neck, h, and within its central part has a cylindrical chamber,it, that has the same axis as said necks, and at each end connects withan axial opening, h", that is provided in each of said necks.

At each end of the recess h is provided an annular ring, K, of rubber,or other like elas tic material, and between said rings, which areintended for valveseats, is placed a valve,

L, that has the form of a flat disk, and ateach side is provided with astem, Z, that passes into and is contained within the openings 71Between each side of the valve L and the contiguous end of the chamberh, is placed a spiral spring, M, which springs operate to hold saidvalvecentrally, so as to permit air to pass freely through the openings h andthrough said chamber, around the edges of said valve.

in order that the springs M may be held centrallywithin the chamber h,each end of the latter is recessed out, as shown in Fig. 4, andwithinsuch recess is contained one end of. one of said springs, The casing Hissecured within the float A by passing the lower exteriorly-threadedneck h through a corresponding opening in said float and screwing uponsaid neck from within said float a nut, N, as shown in Fig. 2. To theupper neck It is attached the air-supply pipe G, which is composed ofrubber, eanvas,'or other commonlyused flexible material.

Around the float A is placed a netting of cordage, 0, from which dependsseveral cords, 0, that are connected with and support a grappling-hook,P, that has one or more prongs or hooks, p. The float is now complete,and, in connection with others of the same construction, is used asfollows, viz: The air-supply pipe G of each float is connect-ed with anairpump or compressor, usually located upon a boat which is moored overthe vessel to be raised, and said floats, in a collapsed eondition, arelowered to and moved around said wrecked vessel until the grappling-hookP of each engages with some part of the same.

After the floats have all been attached to the sunken vessel, as setforth, air is forced into them until they are expanded to their fullsize, when, if a sufilcient number of floats have been provided, theirbuoyancy will exceed the weight of the vessel, and the latter will beraised from the ground and supported in the water.

The safetywalve at the lower end of each float will ordinarily preventinjury from excessive pressure of air, but in the event of any suddenincrease of pressure within the supplypipes, from the burstingof one ormore floats or from other causes, the valve L, which has hitherto beenbalanced midway between the seats K, will close down upon the lower ofsaidseats and preventj theentranfce of more air to said float. In theevent of injury to the supply-pipe G, the pressure of air within saidfloat will cause said valve to close against its upper seat and preventthe escape of air.

, In order to equalize the pressure of air Within the floats, it may bedesirable to connect .a number of the same by means of pipes that extendfrom one to another, in which case a check-valve, similar to thatdescribed, must be placed at each end of such connectingpipes, as wellas at the lower end of. each supply-pipe. I

The apparatus described is adapted to raise not only vessels, but anyheavy objects within water, and is capable of use in places whereordinary wrecking mechanism could not be employed.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, WhatI claim as new A collapsible balloon or float, provided within itsair-inlet with a double-acting valve which will close against a suddenincrease of pressure within the air-supply tube and against the egressof air from the float, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 6th day of November, A.D. 1880.

JAY \V. POWERS.

\Vitnesses:

E. E. POWERS, CHAS. F. WARD.

